Flora of New Zealand Series

U. rupestris Raoul var. planifolia Kük. in Pflanzenr. 38, 1909, 64.

Original localities ( var. planifolia): "Südinsel, Craigieburn Mts in Canterbury (Cockayne n. 7791!); Otago (Petrie apud Cockayne n. 7844!, 7845!)." Type: WELT, 3134, Rongahere, Tuapeka County, Otago, Petrie no. 7845 in Herb. Cockayne, Nov. 1891.

Loosely tufted with rather few culms. Culms (10)–15–35 cm. long c. 0.3 mm. diam. above, glab., 1–2 mm. diam. at base (including sheathing bracts); basal bracts light to dark brown, not shining. Lvs 3–4 per culm, < culms, from slightly > 0.5 mm. to 1.5 mm. wide, dark green, strongly scabrid on margins and upper surface. Spike 2–5 cm. × 2–3 mm., occ. bracteate, female fls 5–12, internodes up to 4 mm. long at base of spike, 1.5–2 mm. long above. Glumes us. c. ½ length of utricles, deciduous, ovate, acute or acuminate, hyaline with green midrib. Utricles 3.5–4.5–(5) × c. 1 mm., trigonous, green to grey-brown, lateral nerves strongly developed, otherwise smooth, occ. spreading when mature, beak 1–1.5 mm. long, stipe c. 1 mm. long.

DIST.: N. Southwards from c. lat. 39º, common near Wellington. S. Scattered throughout. St.

Forest, forest margin and scrub, from sea level to 1,000 m. altitude.

FL. 9–10. FT. 11–12.

Hamlin (1959, p. 43) noted "Distinguished from U. rupestris by being much smaller in all its parts but the line of demarcation is not rigid. It may be only a variety of U. rupestris but I maintain it as distinct on field evidence in the Wellington area where U. rupestris is absent".

U. angustifolia flowers from September to October, while U. rupestris flowers from October to November as do most spp. of Uncinia.